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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22617424">Songs of Family and Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orianess/pseuds/Orianess'>Orianess</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>MacGyver (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Difficult Labor, Family feelings, M/M, Merfolk biology is not medically accurate but you knew that, Merman!Jack, Mpreg Birth, OC child chacarters, Story created in a fit of sleep deprivation and too much time on tumblr, based on another work, listed inside description, merman!Mac, not explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 18:56:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,053</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22617424</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orianess/pseuds/Orianess</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s not common for mermen to be able to bear pups, but undoubtedly it is a blessing all the same. As rare as a perfect pearl. </p><p>Aka: mer!Mac gives birth with help from his mate, mer!Jack.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jack Dalton/Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Songs of Family and Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackVultures/gifts">BlackVultures</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackrose1002/gifts">blackrose1002</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rai_Knightshade/gifts">Rai_Knightshade</a>.</li>


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/21152456">another sunny day (i feel like getting in the water)</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackrose1002/pseuds/blackrose1002">blackrose1002</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackVultures/pseuds/BlackVultures">BlackVultures</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So... this isn’t your usual type of fic. This is an au story inspired by gorgeous fan art of Rai-Knightshade depicting mer!Mac and his kids, which was inspired by BlackVultures &amp; blackrose1002’s piece. An au of an au, lol. All that to say, I truly love all of the talented creators who brought mer!Mac to life. Thanks for letting me share your sandbox to play in ❤️ Hope you lovelies enjoy it </p><p>Im certain that this story does not qualify for an explicit rating, but if anyone is concerned regarding the tagging I’ve used, please don’t hesitate to let me know.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jack can say with a doubt, as far as luck goes, he is hands down the luckiest merman that ever graced the sun waters. </p><p>His home by the colorful reef is perfect and safe for raising a family, full of good hunting. His mate Mac is gorgeous, clever, and by far the most perfect match for his heart. The two pups they’ve  taken in as their own are sweet and smart, and they’ll have bright futures ahead of them within the swift-fin clan. There’s nothing more he could have asked for in the whole ocean, he has everything he’s ever wanted. A home, a mate, a family. He’s happy beyond all measure.</p><p>And then his heart grows a little more when his mate informs him, much to his surprise, that they are expecting a pup of their own making.</p><p>Jack trills his love song for Mac as loud as he’s ever sang before, holding his beautiful mate as they swim together.</p><p>It’s not common for mermen to be able to bear pups, but undoubtedly it is a blessing all the same. As rare as a perfect pearl. Their clan of swift-fins all share in their joy and bring Mac shells and pretty trinkets to honor the new father. Some reverently touch his soon to be swollen belly, and the clan sings in joy for the new member to be.</p><p>While the pup grows, they prepare their nest for the new arrival, adding a new sleep sling to the reef wall of their den. Their pups are excited about their new sibling. Brady is always hovering around Mac, asking questions, making guesses as to what the newborn pup will like to eat, how soon they’ll be able to play games like chase or hide and scent. Arista is cautiously curious about Mac’s slowly growing belly, but fiercely protective of her father, going as far to bare her small sharp fangs to Jack when he had hugged Mac too tight. And Jack can scarcely contain his joy and keep from touching Mac at every opportunity, marveling at the way his mate glows under the sunlight.</p><p>The time passes quickly and Mac’s belly grows in size. Jack’s beautiful mate seems embarrassed about his girth, especially when he can no longer swim as fast as he did before, but he’s just as amazing as he always was. Their love song is so constantly sung in their nest, it echoes through Jack’s dreams.</p><p>When the time draws near, Mac’s tolerance for being fussed over wanes. His chest develops the glands for the pup’s milk, which seem to frustrate him and he spends more time about the nest, arranging things over and again. No doubt his body is preparing itself for what’s ahead, and he needs the solace of being able to set things to an order. Jack keeps a close eye on his mate but gives the younger swift-fin his space.</p><p>He’s nudged awake one night under the faint glow of the moon by Mac’s tail, swishing agitatedly, and Jack feels the bond come alive with urgency.</p><p>//My time is near. We must make ready to leave.//</p><p>Jack is awake instantly, uncurling from around Mac on their sleeping shelf and he lets one clawed hand rest tentatively over the swollen bump.</p><p>//How soon? A lot of pain?//</p><p>Mac waves him away with a dismissive flick of the tail.</p><p>//Its fine for now. Get Riley so we can leave.// Mac insists and Jack hurries into the dark to find his dearest friend’s pup, a feisty mermaid who had agreed to care for the pups while they brought the new life into the deep. She comes along with only one look at Jack’s wide-eyes expression and they arrive back in time to see Mac holding Arista and Brady, clearly saying goodbye in case he were not to return. </p><p>The pups are worried, understandably, but this is the way that it must be, for the safety of the clan. Mac and Jack will go out and away from clan for the birthing of the pup, for privacy and to ensure no predators are brought too close to the clan’s territory by the scent of blood in the water. </p><p>As they leave the safety of their reef for shallower waters, the song of traveling is sung by swift-fins who are still awake, and it is balanced to be somber and sweet. A hope for a safe return and farewell should they not.</p><p>They swim as fast as their fins, and Mac’s girth, will allow, letting the currents push them toward the cove, the birthing grounds of their kind. By the first signs of day, Mac is barely able to swim in pace with Jack, exhausted and starting to feel the first true pangs of labor. He doubles over himself from time to time, teeth gritted and gills flared as he tries to keep quiet, because it won’t do to bring hunting creatures along with sounds of distress. The blood scent is starting to make itself known and it makes the need to get to the shallows all the more pressing. Jack keep his eyes out for threats, but over all he spends more time worrying about his mate.</p><p>When they make it to the tide pool shallows, Mac waits below while Jack checks the surface to ensure they’ll be alone. Their arrival couldn’t be better timing it seems because by the time he’s back, Mac’s expression is twisted into another bout of agony and Jack trills his concern  softly to him, letting a gentle hand brush his mate’s face.</p><p>//Mac?//</p><p>//Hurts... need to hurry. Safe?// Mac twists and doubles over, but he remains quiet otherwise. Jack strokes his back fins, hoping to soothe him.</p><p>//All clear. Ready?// </p><p> </p><p>Mac leans into him, seeking his touch.<br/>
//Not really.//</p><p>Jack nods and nuzzles Mac’s neck. He knows how frightened his mate is but it cannot be helped.</p><p>//I know. I love you. You will be safe.//</p><p>Mac clings to him as they edge toward the surface, grunting as they slide into one of the protected coves where Mac’s lower half is still submerged, but his voice can hit the open air without concern for who or what will hear. Jack settles himself in to wait, curled around his mate for support, but forever scanning the area for danger.</p><p>Not long after, Mac’s belly pulls tight with stronger contractions and Jack can see the blood is starting to trickle into the pool more continuously. Mac is stoic at first, laying on his side, his tail kicking up the water around them as muscles jerk and snap in his pain. Jack smooths a hand through his mate’s hair and nuzzles his neck, trilling their quiet love song.</p><p>It takes time to bring a life into being, and when the sun is high above them, Mac’s silent strength has given way to whimpered cries and fierce snarls as he thrashes through the growing pain. Jack switches from being curled around Mac, to holding him upright altogether, praising his mate’s strength and assuring him that the pain will pass. As the sun passes overhead, Mac loses the energy to focus on staying awake and he dozes on and off in Jack’s arms, clinging to him when the pain returns. Jack will have some impressive new scars from where Mac’s claws find purchase in his hide.</p><p>With the sun starting to fall toward the water and the pup hasn’t yet arrived, Jack starts to worry. It’s different for all of their kind on how long these sorts of things take but he doesn’t know how much more Mac can handle. Mac must be thinking the same thing because when another particularly bad round of laboring passes, his mate’s exhausted blue eyes look to him full of sadness and defeat.</p><p>//You will tell our pups that I love them. Their father is proud of them.//</p><p>Jack clutches Mac against him and moans, his heart aching. //You will tell them. You will bring home our new pup and you will tell them.//</p><p>Mac touches his cheek reverently and presses in against Jack’s chest, listening to his heartbeat as they have often done in their den at night. //I love you.//</p><p>//As I love you. You will be safe. We will go home together.//</p><p>Mac gives him a look, like he’d prefer to say more but their pup is apparently done waiting. Under Jack’s hand, Mac’s belly skin ripples and hardens and Mac jerks upward with a low shout. His tail twists back and forth, his shoulders hunched as he writhes before he flops down into the water.</p><p>//Jack! The pup is-!// Mac roars a tortured sound and Jack shifts so that he can be at Mac’s opening. Jack tries to send all his pride for Mac through the bond and rubs at his flank.</p><p>//I can see them. You have done so good. Not much longer now.//</p><p>Mac doesn’t seem to notice him though. He is focused inward toward his struggle, teeth bared as he rides the wave of this agony, his claws digging into the stone tide pool edge. Slow inch by inch, progress is made, Mac panting his way through it before he groans and whines, laying exhausted in the shallow pool. </p><p>He throws and arm over his face and sobs.<br/>
//It hurts I can’t... I can’t...//</p><p>Jack wraps his tail around Mac’s back, lifting and angling him upward so that they can see each other.<br/>
//You can. You are too strong to quit now. Our pup is waiting for you.//</p><p>Mac gives him a shaken nod and sits upright once more, gathering his strength. Bowing over his belly, with three more pushes and the loudest scream Jack’s ever heard, a new swift-fin slides into the water just as the sun dips beyond the line of the sea.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p>They make the journey home two days after and when they return the clan is a flurry of joyous trilling songs and clamoring of excitement. Mac leans into Jack heavily as they settle in the reef’s gathering area, pup nestled safely against his chest in a kelp sling. The clan gather round, making room for Brady and Arista when the pups rush in to see their fathers.</p><p>Mac sings his love song for his children as they hug and nuzzle him exuberantly. Jack warns them to be gentle with their father who is still clearly exhausted from his ordeal, but the tremendous joy in both of them is obvious to every set of eyes.</p><p>As is tradition, the clan’s leader Matty comes close and greets Mac and Jack with an affectionate flick of the tail before she greets the new pup. </p><p>//Who do you bring us?// Matty asks across the communal bond and Mac pulls the pup from the sling to display her to their leader.</p><p>//A daughter.//</p><p>Matty strokes the small pup’s tail in wonder, orange and vivid bright like Jack’s, the clan trilling in amusement when the pup chitters a displeased noise at being removed from her hideaway.<br/>
//Her sire has named her?//</p><p>Mac smiles at Jack who addresses the clan.<br/>
//She is Eliza.//</p><p>Matty presents a tiny white shell to the pup who immediately tries to gum it and she waves a hand to the crowd.</p><p>//Our new sister, Eliza.//</p><p>The flash of resounding celebration that goes across the communal bond explodes like sunlight after a storm. A feast will be held among them and the clan will sing the family song so that the new pup can learn what her family sounds like, even if she’s too small now to know what that means. </p><p>Jack however does not sing the clan song, not now at least. He’s too busy admiring the newest little wonder his mate has given them, and nuzzling Mac’s cheek as the pup is resettled in her sling to nurse. Mac smiles at him, still tired, but clearly happy and trills his love song, just a soft short reminder.</p><p>Jack smiles at his little family and his heart feels full to bursting. He always knew he was lucky but now he feels complete. Brady and Arista are cooing over their sibling, Mac gently instructing them how to touch her. The light of the sun dances across their reef and all is right in their world.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>https://66.media.tumblr.com/a87b00f7fa81ffd1493deeec8fcc6f8e/68c4c515c20a1cf7-bf/s1280x1920/a8edd9aecd2aa92adf4df2fb60adecb1defada12.png</p><p>(The fan art that inspired this- I’m sorry, on mobile i suck at linking 😭)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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